Why Are Jolly Ranchers Banned in the United Kingdom? Hershey's Sweets Declared "Unsafe"

Jolly Ranchers are one of the oldest assets the Hershey Company has in its catalog. According to the Golden History Museum & Park, the sweets were introduced to the market more than seven decades ago. The official Jolly Ranchers website lists the wide range of flavors and varieties that can be found in stores, and over the years, more Jolly Rancher-branded candy has become available in the U.S.

However, some Jolly Rancher products, including the hard candies and berry gummies, have been labeled "unsafe" by the U.K.'s Food Standards Agency (FSA), and the country has effectively banned the candy from store shelves. But why exactly?

Per Wired, there are several problematic ingredients in Jolly Ranchers, including mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAHs) and mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSHs). The substances make the sweets more aesthetically pleasing, according to Wired. But while Jolly Ranchers might look better due to the inclusion of these ingredients, MOAHs have been deemed dangerous by the FSA.

While nothing happens if a person consumes these ingredients once or twice, the FSA has declared the overconsumption of Jolly Ranchers a "toxicological concern." The disclosure was included in the report to prevent the public from panicking, considering the massive popularity of the Jolly Ranchers. The FSA believes that it's time for consumers to find alternatives to Jolly Ranchers, and it remains to be seen if other countries will take action against the product.

There's no reason to believe Jolly Ranchers will be banned in the United States after the United Kingdom's decision to retire the product from their market. The U.K. is the only country banning Jolly Ranchers for now, per the Wired report. The product remains on sale in the United Kingdom through unofficial channels, though.

Other countries tend to have stricter standards than the U.S. when it comes to food safety concerns. According to Foodie, Skittles have been banned in some parts of Europe since 2022.

That doesn't affect the American market — the Wrigley Company's colorful sweets are still popular and available for purchase in the United States. It may take some time for the Food and Drug Administration to determine if Jolly Ranchers are bad for American consumers, if the issue is raised at all.